FedEx Lifestyle, NOT Sugarcoated!!!!

[Ted Striker]

I apologize...

Guys I apologize for hijacking the threat to rip Realyman. He just rubbed me the wrong way on the thread about a potential ASA strike. This was the wrong place to do it and I am sorry for being negative. Good luck to everyone. FWIW Realyman...Fedex would be a wonderful job. Go track airline stocks and then throw Fedex and Brown in there... airlines are down, those are doing pretty dang well. They are going to be a lot more recession/terror proof.

Striker

 

[Bosshog1]

Sorry if this is a little off the subject, but how is a good way to develop "connections" or "sponsors" at FedEx? Does the company want to see that you and your sponsor have flown together or just for character references? I would greatly appreciate any help with these questions.

 

[Goose17]

good question

The first question always asked of a sponsor is: "Have you flown with this person?"

Having flown with them is a big plus as far as I am aware. If you don't know any FedEx pilots, I have no idea on your next step. I bet you know at least someone. We have something like 4400 pilots. There is probably someone on the inside you know that you have simply lost contact with.

Good luck.

Goose17

 

[TonyC]

Sorry if this is a little off the subject, but how is a good way to develop "connections" or "sponsors" at FedEx? Does the company want to see that you and your sponsor have flown together or just for character references? I would greatly appreciate any help with these questions.

I'm thinkin' perhaps you should track down a few 727 SO's (especially the ones on first year pay) and offer to take them up in a GA airplane for a little flying. Afterwards, take them to Ruth's Chris and buy 'em a nice cut of beef.

You get to fly together - - they can put that on the referral

They get some stick time - - important when it comes time for them to upgrade to a window seat.

They get to know you in a social setting - - they can put that on the referral.

Most importantly, get them to bring a copy of the Master Seniority List to dinner - - read it while they eat. You might be surprised who you know at FedEx that you didn't know was at FedEx, and they can REALLY give you a referral.


Whaddaya say, Goose? Medium rare?

 

[Goose17]

not a bad idea TonyC

I think that is a good tactic.

Count me out though - I'm in F/O upgrade right now.

Good luck (persistance pays off)

Goose17

 

[TonyC]

Count me out though - I'm in F/O upgrade right now.

Turnin' it down?!?!?!

Apparently you've never had a Ruth's Chris experience.



.

 

[Bosshog1]

I love a good steak too! I thought about that, but I wasn't sure that would be appropriate. I am based in MEM so I guess I'll have to just track down some FedEx guys and talk them into flying with me over to Gaston's on White River...Great steaks! We have had some guys go over to FedEx recently, but I never flew with any of them and didn't really know them. Thanks for the advice.

 

[TonyC]

I love a good steak too! I thought about that, but I wasn't sure that would be appropriate.

Oh, wait. I never said it was appropriate.

I was just brainstormin' out loud an idea for how to get to know a FedEx pilot and give him enough information to go to bat for you. My scheme would give you flying experience, social experience, and the background to honestly say "I'd enjoy hangin' with this guy on a 5-day schedule of back-to-back hub turns."


Hmmm . . . well, maybe not. Maybe you'd have to fly several times on several consecutive days, and try different restaraunts each day. The cost for bribes could go up quite a bit.


Seriously, though. I wouldn't be beneath bribing a FedEx pilot that I already knew to walk my resume to the System Chief Pilot. OK, call it "exchanging favors" if that makes you feel better. Trying this with a complete stranger would be quite a stretch.

Anybody else have any good ideas to start up a bribe farm? They pay, we refer. It can't be a PFT (Pay For Tellin'-em-I'm-a-good-piloy) or illegal in Tennessee, but it can look that way. We'd hafta devise a scheme to use other pilots to submit the referrals - - if The Company caught on, our referrals could be instantly worhtless. Maybe we can devise a scheme of commissions and bonuses. We might even reserve a block of time in an airplane at Olive Branch to reduce operating costs. Candidate pays fee up front, candidate and "Referring pilot" get prepaid time in the airplane. Candidate picks up dinner tab. Referring pilot goes to web site and makes referral if he likes the candidate. Up or down, the program administrator gets a percentage of the fees.


OK, I'm outta ideas. Anybody else?

 

[MAX ZORIN]

The bottom line: 25 % of FDX pilots will medical out before 60. Don't know what the pax airline number is.

25% seems a little high. Can anyone at UPS confirm a similar number?

 

[RichardFitzwell]

I'll probably get flamed by the retards but here's my take on FedEx...



I worked there for 5 years. Three as a S/O and two as a F/O on the B727. I can honestly say I didn’t like it. I came from the Regionals and I was excited at first but the nights truly sucked. It's very boring. One guy told me when he was in the military he couldn't wait to get in the airplane, now he can't wait to get out. That really summed it up for me too.



You spend a lot of time by yourself. On layovers most guys have different sleep schedules so getting together to do anything (even dinner) is tough. Time off is spent trying to readjust to a "normal" sleep schedule. Some can adapt better than others but I had a hard time.



I heard over and over about guys leaving early for medical reasons and didn't want to be in that position. The people that do the best are the ones that live in Memphis and stay senior enough to fly days. I didn't want to live in MEM so commuting was my life. It was funny (not really) talking to guys at 0200 during the sort and noticing how beat they looked. They would brag with blood-shot eyes about how they just picked up a west coast trip for $$$. I couldn't stop wondering - why? FedEx has lost a lot of aircraft over the past 6 years because the job is very demanding on the flight crew. I think every accident has been related in one way or another to pilot error. Wonder why?



I was offered a job at a passenger airline flying the B737 and took it. What a huge difference. I actually enjoyed flying again but my timing was bad. Sept 11 and I was laid off. Recalls have started and I'll be back in April after a 4-year furlough. I can't wait to get back.



FedEx is a great place to work if you can handle the schedules. No passenger carrier can offer the same stability. Would I make the same decisions over again? Probably. Life is too short to be miserable for the mighty buck. Just my opinion, I’m probably wrong. Good luck.

 

[Laughing_Jakal]

Fitzwell didn't fit well.

I agree with all of Rick's comments. This job isn't fun...it's business...though with the right crew and right trip, can be a lot of fun.

The boeing will put you in an early grave if you let it. Balance money with life....drop trips instead of pick them up. There are always opportunities to work more and cash is more addictive than.....(well I don't know as I have never had an addiction).

That being said, I can't imagine any 121 operation that isn't boring after a while, unless you are enriching your life by notching your crew bag for every FA you bag...If you operate safely and legally, according to the FOM, you will never impress yourself in an airplane again.....which is a good thing.

What FedEx allows you to do if you don't chase the almighty buck too hard is allow you to have a multidimensional life. If your life revolves around the next seat bid, or aircraft acquision, or next pay raise....then Fred will absolutely love you.

That being said, I did move to Memphis to spend more time with my family, and with the exception of the city, it was a great move....

If money is what you are really after, I can tell you that no amount will be enough.

Fitz.....glad to hear you're going back to work....sorry to lose you though, sounds like the kind of guy we like around here.

Jakal

 

[TonyC]

I'll probably get flamed by the retards but here's my take on FedEx...

To which "retards" were you referring?






.

 

[FN FAL]

25% seems a little high. Can anyone at UPS confirm a similar number?

Although I don't work at FedEx... this month alone, we lost three pilots due (one is not for sure, but I doubt he's going to overcome the issue) to medical issues. Two are going to go because of rotator cuff problems and one went due to heart disease. There was one a few months ago that went out becuase of heart problems.

Age has a funny way of catching up with you and not getting proper sleep can accelerate it. The poster that said he was working at getting back into shape by working out is on the right track, it might only add a few years to his life, but it will significantly increase the quality of his life as well.

 

[PastFastMover]

This has been about 13 years ago, but I flew with a relatively new FO that had quit FEDEX to come to our company. He lived in MEM but could no longer tolerate the schedule. He was just short of making captain at FEDEX but did not want to live on the back side of the clock while the rest of the world lived on the front side. At the time he said he had not regretted it for a minute even though he now had to commute to work. I have not spoken with him since so really don't know his current feelings since the changes to most of us since 911.

 

[PastFastMover]

...If you operate safely and legally, according to the FOM, you will never impress yourself in an airplane again.....

Jakal

I really had to laugh at this. Truer words were never spoken.